Prime Minister Stephen Harper announces improvements to Toronto reference library

October 16, 2009

Investment will create jobs and stimulate the economy

TORONTO –  Prime Minister Stephen Harper today announced that the Government of Canada and the City of Toronto will work together to fight the recession, create jobs and improve Toronto’s infrastructure by making sweeping improvements to the Toronto Reference Library.  The Prime Minister was joined by Toronto Mayor David Miller to announce the project.

“For decades, the Toronto Reference Library has been an important resource for millions of visitors of all ages,” said the Prime Minister.  “I am pleased that, through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, we will ensure that the library can meet the needs of future generations while providing new jobs and stimulus to Toronto today.” 

By improving one of Toronto’s largest libraries, the project will not only benefit the more than one million users from across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) who currently enjoy the facility, but also increase annual visit rates by up to 40 per cent.  The project will modernize the building’s appearance, improve the building’s energy efficiency, provide new event space and create additional computer workstations to deliver better support for library visitors.

“Our government is proud to invest in Toronto,” said the Prime Minister.  “Through our partnership with the City on this project, and the many others across the city, we are helping to get shovels in the ground and creating jobs.”

In September, the Harper Government announced over 500 other local Infrastructure Stimulus Fund projects in partnership with the City of Toronto.  They include upgrades to local roads, public transit and community centres.



Backgrounder

CANADA’S ECONOMIC ACTION PLAN

INFRASTRUCTURE STIMULUS PROGRAM

Through Canada’s Economic Action Plan, the federal government has established a new $4-billion Infrastructure Stimulus Fund that provides funding to provincial, territorial and municipal construction-ready infrastructure rehabilitation projects.  Funding is available for two years for projects that can be substantially completed by March 2011.

About the Infrastructure Stimulus Program
The Infrastructure Stimulus Fund complements existing federal infrastructure funding by focusing on short-term objectives for economic stimulus.  To further this goal of rapid economic stimulus, the Infrastructure Stimulus Fund will focus on construction-readiness as an important project selection criterion.  The full $4 billion will be distributed in fiscal years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011.  Projects will focus largely on the rehabilitation of existing assets such as water, wastewater, public transit, highways, roads, culture, parks and trails.
For provincial assets, the federal and provincial governments will each contribute up to fifty per cent of eligible costs.  For municipal projects, the federal and provincial governments will contribute up to two-thirds of eligible costs, with municipalities expected to contribute one-third.

Infrastructure Stimulus Fund in Toronto
On October 16, 2009, the Government of Canada and City of Toronto announced a total combined Canada-Toronto Public Library Foundation investment of $9 million for the revitalization of the Toronto Reference Library to benefit researchers in the GTA.  Planned renovations include a complete transformation of the library's main floor and exterior, an expanded public gallery space, a dynamic Glass Entrance Cube, a new, two-storey rotunda, new energy conservation measures, more event space and additional computer workstations.

On September 11, 2009, the Government of Canada and City of Toronto announced a total combined Canada-Toronto investment of more than a half-billion dollars for more than 500 community infrastructure projects identified as priorities for the City and that will create jobs and help build a stronger community.